Trouble Getting Home
by walkiehunt
Summary: Alex is still trying to get home - but can she leave Gene? Set before the end of series two. Sorry it's a rubbish summary, but come along for the ride! : Please review, but this is my first so please be nice...
1. Chapter 1

_**Trouble Getting Home – Chapter One**_

'_Mum. Mummy. Mum. Wake up.'_

'_Molly?'_

_Alex blinked drowsily, and opened her eyes. There was a spotlight and in it, stood Molly. Her daughter, just like she had been when Alex had seen her last in 2008. School uniform and pony-tail. Only this time, Molly had an expression of worry and sadness. _

'_You promised me a birthday to remember, Mum. You promised you'd be here. Where are you?'_

'_I'm here, Molly. Look I'm here. I'm coming home. I'm waking up. The bullet has gone. I'm waking up back to you.'_

_Alex began to get more desperate but Molly's last words echoed round Alex's head. The spotlight began to darken and although Alex strained to see her daughter, soon all that was left were the words swirling, round and round._

'_Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? Where are…..'_

**BANG.**

A leather-gloved hand slammed down on the smooth surface of DI Drake's paperwork laden desk, and the said DI Drake jerked awake, lifting her head up to look at the owner of the glove.

'Oh, I'm sorry, DI Drake, did I wake you from your pleasant afternoon nap? God forbid you might actually be doing some bloody work.'

Alex blinked slowly, looking round the busy CID office. She was sure it hadn't been this productive when she decided to rest her tired eyes for five minutes. Ray and Chris had been pelting each other with balls of paper when she sank her head on the desk, and she had been able to hear Shaz singing quietly along with her tape player. However, now when she looked, Ray was threatening someone down a phone, Shaz was shuffling files and Chris - well, Chris was standing next to the Guv with a piece of paper in his hand.

'Been a bit of commotion down Brookend way, Guv. Body found and is with forensics but they want us to go down to Brookend first and sort it out,' Chris reeled off, 'some sort of punch-up still going on.'

DCI Gene Hunt opened his mouth to reply, but was beaten to it by Alex, who quickly up. Having shaken off the dream about Molly, she directed Chris and Ray to deal with the punch-up while her and the Guv went down to forensics.

She turned to Gene.

'Come on then. Quattro?

'Read my mind, Bolly. Read my mind.'


	2. Chapter 2

**So, here is chapter two! I am having lots of fun writing this, but I'm not sure if it is true to the characters exactly. However, it is soothing my ashes to ashes craving which is not going to be completely satisfied until the next series begins. But for now – please read and review! ******

_**Trouble Getting Home – Chapter Two**_

Gene and Alex walked into the cold morgue. The body was laid out on a slab and Alex motioned for the forensic to lift the sheet. Standing, hands in her back pockets, she surveyed the injuries with precise interest. Gene stood behind her, trying to keep his eyes on the body and off his DI's arse.

'Mitch Colne, 29 years old. Severe trauma to the left cranium, which is likely to have caused death, but he has a myriad of injuries, including blows to the face, cracked ribs and most interestingly, rope burns to the wrists. The trauma to the left cranium was caused not by fists but by a blunt instrument.'

Gene swaggered further forward.

'So, Bols, looks like we've got ourselves an old 'it over the 'ead with a spanner case . We're looking for some bastard with a toolbox…'

Alex rolled her eyes, and peered closer at the man's ankles.

'What's that?' She walked round and lifted the sheet off the man's feet.

'It looks like an imprint of a signet ring.'

Gene seemed lost in thought, and Alex waited expectantly for his view on the mark.

However, Gene's thoughts had taken a different direction – one that Alex may not find amusing, which involved Alex, Gene, a toolkit and not many clothes. Suddenly, he noticed that Alex and the forensic were looking at him, and he snapped himself back into the situation;

'Right, so we're looking for a psycho bastard who has a toolkit and a signet ring,' he leaned past Alex and squinted quickly at the ankle, before straightening up and fixing her with his piercing blue stare,

'in the shape of a falcon? Peter Minto.'

Alex's eyes widened, 'How do you know so definitely?'

Gene looked down and adjusted his leather driving gloves, clearing his throat. 'Because I have had the brilliant luck to be left 'ooked by the scumbag himself, and he left an imprint identical to that.' He jabbed his finger at the body.

Alex lifted her radio to her mouth and started to speak.

'Chris, I need a file from Shaz on Mitch Colne and Peter Minto. We're heading back to the office soon.'

'Not too bloody soon, Bols. I can tell yer everything about Peter Minto. But not now.' Gene began to stride out, with Alex following his lead.

'Luigi's I think, Bolly. I need a drink to loosen my tongue, and you're buying the first round.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Not sure about this chapter – It has a lot of dialogue setting up about the mysterious Peter Minto! But don't worry, there is still more than one element of mystery about him still to be revealed. I hope you like the Galex at the end! Please R&R!!!**

_**Trouble Getting Home – Chapter Three**_

The Quattro span round the corner and squealed to a halt. The two doors slammed; Gene and Alex made their way into the familiar surroundings of Luigi's. Greeted with a shout of 'Grassy Arse!' from Chris, they settled themselves into the corner table. After taking a sip of her full glass of house rubbish, Alex surveyed her DCI over the top of it and opened her mouth to talk.

'I know what yer going to say, Bols, so save your breath.'

Gene lit up a cigarette, and eyed her lazily, lounging back in his chair.

'Peter Minto is one of the biggest bastards you could hope to meet. 'e was on my patch back in Manchester and I nailed 'im. Well, he wasn't very happy, was he? So, when he got off free – God knows how – he found me in a darkened ally and thwacked me one.'

Alex leaned forwards over the table, casually swirling her wineglass in her left hand.

'What did you get him for?'

Gene took a drag on his cigarette and then let out the smoke.

'He was in the drug business, and he was up to his neck in GBH charges. I thought I had him down when he decided to beat up his girlfriend and she came to the police to help. It didn't stick though – 'is cronies swore blind he was with them at the time of the incident and I thought the judge was dodgy, myself. You can always find evidence, Bolly – but you can always lose it again just as easily.'

Looking into the distance, Gene seemed lost in the past and Alex almost reached out in an instinctive need to comfort. Pulling himself back into the present, Gene took a long swig of his drink.

'We're going onto a club, Guv – you coming?'

Ray was pulling on his coat; Chris and Shaz were just behind him. Gene glanced quickly at Alex and then turned to his team.

'We're gonna stay 'ere, have an early night. Don't you bloody be late tomorrow – I don't care if you have a hangover the size of Kilimanjaro. I want you in, on time. We've got work to do.'

Chris nodded. 'Right you are Guv.'

They began to leave, Shaz chattering excitedly about the club they were going to.

Alex called after her.

'Remember, Shaz, I want those files on my desk first thing! Occupation, location, age….Everything.'

'Of course ma'am. Goodnight!'

Alex stretched and yawned – finishing the dregs of her wine. She decided to indeed have an early night, so she could run over all the things Gene had told her this evening. By the sound of it she would have to have a good night's sleep in order to be awake and fresh for the coming morning. She stood up and hauled her white leather coat off the back of the chair.

'Right, I'm off. Early morning tomorrow.'

She started to turn towards the staircase leading up to her flat, when Gene stood up too.

'I'll walk you upstairs,' he came along side her, 'you never know who is round the corner.'

'I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, Gene,' She jokingly ticked him off. 'But thank you.'

'_The Gene Genie shows his gentlemanly side once again…' _She thought.

They walked up the stairs and then she fumbled for her keys. When she dropped them – both her and Gene bent down to pick them up and suddenly, their faces were very close together. Too close.

They both froze. She could feel his breath on her face and the need to reach out towards him was so great, her hand actually started to move towards his face.

Gene stepped back, breaking the spell and clearing his throat.

'So, yeah, big case tomorrow Bolly. Better get some sleep. I'm gonna hit the sack myself….. Night.'

He disappeared down the stairs.

'Night……' Alex whispered, leaning against the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**This is a chapter which I struggled to write, which I think you can tell. However it sets the story up well. Do you think that you could please review it? It would make my day! I am home, ill, at the moment, so I have lots of time for writing! Therefore, the next chapter will be coming soon :)**

_**Trouble Getting Home – Chapter Four**_

The alarm went off and Alex sighed, turning over to slam one hand down on the top of the clock. She rolled the duvet off of herself and stumbled towards the bathroom. Jumping in the shower, she shook off a night of slipping in and out of woozy dreams about Gene. As she applied her make-up and ran out of the door, swinging her jacket round her shoulders, she went over in her mind, the case so far. Walking into CID, she felt re-energised and ready for the day ahead.

'Morning, Boss.' Chris gave her a fleeting smile while transporting files from one desk to another. Alex smiled back and looked round the sight of the productive office which was becoming a strangely familiar sight.

'What's been going on round here? People actually doing work without being shouted, cajoled and coerced into it?' Alex said to Gene, walking into his office.

Taking his feet off the desk, Gene walked round to the doorway and leaned against it, next to her.

'Mornin' to you too, Bols. Remember, they all went to a club last night?' He nodded towards his team.

'Well the club just happened to be owned by one, Mr Peter Minto.'

Alex raised her eyebrows. Gene stood up straight and strolled out into the room.

'So Raymondo, tell DI Drake what you saw when you entered the clubbing establishment…'

Alex had followed Gene out; Ray stepped towards her, his bulky frame almost quivering with excitement.

'Me, Chris and Shaz went into the club and I was having a good time, chatting up this bird, who I have to say, has a great pair-sonality…'

Alex spluttered in disgust.

'Yeah, just keep your mind on the task, Ray.'

Ray chuckled, along with the rest of CID, and then continued in his story.

'Anyway, it turns out the bird was associated with another man and he got a bit annoyed with me – didn't 'e Chris?'

'Yeah, very annoyed…' Chris smirked. Shaz rolled her eyes.

'So, the boss of the club had to get involved and I took the liberty of enquiring who the hell 'e was.'

Alex's mouth turned slightly upwards at the corners and she leant forward, hands in pockets.

'So? Who was it?...Let me guess.. Peter Minto?'

'The very one. Clever this mornin' aren't we Bolly?' Gene smirked slightly at the expression on Alex's face before departing through the doorway of his office once again.

Alex walked over to Shaz and sat on the edge of her desk.

'Shaz. Did you have a good time last night?'

Shaz's face lit up.

'Yeah, ma'am. It was brill. Me and Chris were dancing all night! I've got those files for you, ma'am – and I found out something while researching… Mitch Colne worked for Peter Minto, in his nightclub, as a barman.'

Alex's eyes widened.

'Interesting, Shaz.'

Alex made her way back to her own desk and briefly flicked through each file. Mitch Colne's file contained nothing really – a few parking tickets – basically the usual. Peter Minto's file had all the stuff Gene had talked about. Drugs, GBH. But none of it had been proved. It was all suspected. After his run in Manchester, Minto had worked his way up through London and ended up running a successful club, Roses. Alex took a sharp intake of breath when she read the name. After thinking it through carefully, she thought that the name couldn't be related to the dreaded Operation Rose – Could it?

Gene burst out of the office, making Alex jump, pulling on his customary leather gloves.

'Right, team. Quattro methinks.'

Alex got up slowly, still shaken from reading the file.


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, I had to get Gene Hunt in a club didn't I? Little bit of jealousy going on maybe? Thanks so much for reviewing as well – it really does make my day.. ******

_**Trouble Getting Home – Chapter five**_

Alex looked up at the sign above the building; Roses. She shook herself mentally; dismissing any sense of foreboding, and began to walk in – her heeled boots clacking on the ground. Gene, Chris and Ray were already inside. Pushing the door open, she looked around the inside of the strangely silent club with leather black interiors and neon lights. Alex could hear Gene talking to a waitress and she hurried towards the source of the sound.

'So, is Minto a good boss, love?' Gene was leaning casually against the bar talking to a nervous looking girl. Alex came up behind him.

The girl spoke softly.

'He is good enough. I get paid and treated fairly well, so I'm happy. Why do you ask?'

Alex stepped up, making sure everything about her body language was open, and non-threatening.

'We're just looking into a police investigation – if you could help us it would be good. Do you know where your boss was 2 days ago?'

'I wasn't here two days ago – but you could ask Carl – he's a barman.' The girl looked relieved that she could point them both towards another person and began to back away. Alex put one hand out towards her.

'Hold on – Carl ----?'

'Doston…Carl Doston.'

Alex and Gene's heads whipped round in order to see a good looking man, holding an empty drinks tray. Curly brown hair framed an almost grecian profile and Alex could bet that there was a strong chest hidden under his crisp white shirt. Subtlety looking her up and down – although she noticed – he began to talk.

'How can I help you – officers?'

Gene barely hid the disgust on his face – he was looking at Carl Doston and Alex could tell he was sizing Carl up as a pretty boy.

'I'm DCI Hunt and this is DI Drake. We're here to investigate a murder.'

Carl's eyebrows raised, a look of surprise on his face.

'Who's murder?'

'We would rather not disclose that at this moment in time.' Alex quickly replied.

Carl continued to look her steadily in the face.

'Murder? Well, I wish I could help you but I don't know anything about a murder. I would be willing to discuss this further with DI Drake, however. How about over dinner, Detective Inspector?'

Alex's own face registered a look of shock briefly, before she hid it.

'You barely know me, Mr Doston.'

'Ahh, but I always have good instincts on these things..' Came the quickfire response.

' 'ave you two finished cos I thought we were investigating a murder, not taking part in bloody blind date!' Gene interrupted.

Just then – Chris and Ray turfed up behind Carl Donston. They looked pleased with themselves.

'Guess what, Guv?' Chris started smugly.

'We've found Minto's office – and he's not 'ere tonight..' Ray interjected.

'Good work, Chris, Raymondo… Looks like we're going clubbing after all Bolly!'

Alex snorted, finding it difficult to imagine Gene in a club. But then again – since going to that gay club… Maybe she could.


End file.
